Traction-wheel



L. E. SLAUSON.

vTRACTION WHEEL. APPLICATION man luNE 12, 1919.

Patented Oat. 11, 1921..

UNITED STATI-:s

PATENT oFFicn.

LOUIS E. SLAUSON, OF ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CrRIDJROIiFQGRIP` COMPANY, OF'ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS.

'REACTION-WHEEL.

Specification of LettersPatenc.

Patented Oct. 11, 1921.

Application led .Tune 12, 1919. vSerial No. 303,641.

To @ZZ whom t may concern: Y

Be it known that I, Louis E. SLAUSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rock Island, in the' county of Rock Island and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Traction- Wheels, of which the following is a speciiication.

The object of this invention broadly is to convert an ordinary smoothrim wheel into a traction wheel by the application thereon in a novelmanner of a plurality of and construction which can be produced at 25 1 ow cost as a one-piece casting and easily applied to the rim of an ordinary tractor or other similar wheel and held in proper position thereon.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention which I have found satisfactory in actual use. and referring thereto,

Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of a traction wheel embodying the invention in what I now consider a preferred form.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig.' 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the shoe.

In the drawings 5 designates generally a metal wheel of any' usual construction having a rim 6. My invention is adapted to be applied to old wheels as well as to new wheels and I contemplate that wheel manufacturers in the of their wheels so that my. invention may be applied to the rims by the tractor manufacturer or by the purchaser as and when desired. -And while the invention may be readily removed from the wheel if no longer required I particularlyy direct attention to the fact that this not necessary for travel on Vhard-pavements `or road beds, as it is with some of the lug devices which are detachably applied to .traction wheels, because the shoes will not dig into or otherwise infuture will punch the rims jure a hard surface since they have no lateral movement on the surface.

A plurality of teeth 7 are bolted, riveted or otherwise securely fastened to the rim in pairs at spaced intervals. These teeth are shorter than the width of the rim and they are located centrally of the rim as `shown Fig. 2. In the form shown each tooth has a base 8, curved sides 9 and recessed ends 10, forming a hollow tooth having a substantially fiat base to engage the rim and two longitudinal prongs formed by thel curved sides. This tooth may be made of cast steel, chilled iron, or any other suitable material.

Y Atraction shoe is loosely mounted on the face of theA rim by means located at the back of the rim between the teeth of each pair. he shoesrare all made alike, in grid or skeleton form and each comprises parallel sides 12, inwardly directed longitudinally extending trackk flanges 13, end cross-hars 14, and a middle cross-bar 15. The sides are cut out at 16 between the cross-bars, and

the ianges 13 extend inwardly closely adjaJ`r cent to the ends of the teeth, Fig. 2. The end cross-bars may be of a single thickness, inclining toward each other at the top thereof at 14', and from there on to their outer edges flaring in opposite directions at 14". The middle cross-bar 15 is preferably made substantially wedge-shaped and hollow for lightness. It has oppositely inclined upper sides 15 lower sides 15.

The sides 12 anges 13 of thel rim 6and one side 12 is provided with an integral inward-projecting hook or lip 17: and the other side is provided with a lug 18 bored and threaded to receive a transverse bolt 19. The hook17 and the holt 19 are disposed opposite `each other and are spaced'l fromrthe flanges 13 sufficiently to loosely connect the shoe with the rim so that the shoe will have a oonsiderableplay or movement relative to the rim. In this form of Vmy invention .the hoolror lip 17 is broad and curved slightly transversely, as shown in Fig. 1, The middle crossfbar' 15 of the shoe is" located between the teeth 7 of a pair andthe parts are so proportionedthat the shoe will have the desired amount of loose play relative to theV rim with the middle cross-bar engaging the oppositely disposed and inwardly curved of the shoe extend above the.y suiiiciently to inclose the side edges its l freely movable within certain fixed limits 1 or the shoes and 1 which the wheel travels,

utedover a considerable-area which reduces face. Tprefer to make edges of the cross-bars vwithin their prescribed on the rim and is induced to nievey by gravity and by the engagement of the teeth andV cross-bars so that each shoe will be presented in a substantially horizontal position to the surface Vover which the wheel travels, andV will be picked up in a substantially horizon` tal position from said surface after the ra-v dial center'of the wheel has passed thereover.` In practice the teeth are disposed in pairs spaced equidistant around the rim and the shoes are then applied as shown in the drawings or in some equivalent manner. -The parts are so proportioned that when the rim is completely equipped with teeth and shoes the ends of the shoes may approach each other in close juxtaposition, but withoutV touching. Thus each shoe is at all times freely movable without interfering with or interference from either adjacent shoe.y The wheel may be equipped with my invention at the factory and sold in its complete form, other parts may be sold separately in standard sizes for application to the wheel at any time. The simplicity of the invention makes it possible for anybody to apply the shoe and other parts to a wheel in thel first instance and to remove andreapply them as often as desired. lt may be necessary to construct the parts ofV my invention in different sizes to fit wheels of different sizes but I believe that a comparatively few standard sizes will suffice.

The shoes travel with the rim of the wheel as the wheel revolves and gravity and by reason of the engagement o the teeth with the cross-bars, to any positionl limits of movement, but they always maintain their position on the rim relative to each other and do not interfere or overlap at any time. Each shoe is engaged flatwise with the surface over that is to say, the shoe is presented horizontally to the surface so that by the time the rim travels thereon the shoe isat rest on the surface with all cross-bars thereof in engagement with theV surface. Hence, if the cross-bars are forced into the surface by .the weight carried by the wheel they will enter the surface evenlyl and make clean cuts withoutfshifting the earth between these cuts. The flanges andthe cross-bars Aprovide an. extended track surface for engagement with ,the rim so that the weight carried by the wheel is distribthe penetration of the cross-bars in the sur-r,

theground engagingY Y discontinuous by recessing them at 20 but they may be continuous if desired.

-By reference to thehfdrawings, it will be move freely, byv

Vpositioned to receive it, and since the shoes are thus positioned in close ]uXtaposition and in alinement there is provided a sectional track which is carried by the rim and laid as the wheel travels and forming, to all intents and purposes, a continuous track for the rim. Each shoe is ground before it receives the weight of the wheel and this is important because it prevents the shoe from digging in the ground at one end as would happen if the weight were applied to that end before the rest of the shoe was properly placed on the ground. Furthermore, this provides for distributing the weight over the entire area of theshoe, whereby one shoe will lie flush, or substantially iiush, with the next and provide a track which may for various reasons incline like the grade of a street pavement but which will always be smooth and even and which will prevent the wheel from packing plowed ground. Y y

The shape of the shoe and its transverse bars, and the teeth, and the cooperative relation of the teeth` and shoes, all `serve their part in keeping the shoes clean and free from dirt clods, especially when plowing in soft ground. lThis is, of course, desirable to maintain the shoes at their highest eiiiciency. The ground engaging portions of the transverse bars ofthe shoe are tapered, in effect, so that they will makea narrow clean cut inthe ground and withdraw therefrom without4 dragging dirt with them. It has been found in actual use that the shoes will keep clean,-that is to say, free `from clods or accumulation of dirt which would interfere with their proper operation,-under all or dinary conditions, and this is due, as before indicated, very largely to the shape of the bars which are, 1n effect, 'self-V cleaning. There will be a tendency,v of course, in wet or very soft ground, for the dirtto stick to the shoes in clods of more or less size, but due to the movable mounting of the shoes on the rim and the coperative action of the shoes and teeth, while the shoes travel with'the rim, during which travel it willV be noted that the shoes shift endwise on the rim, there is no liability of the shoes ever becoming clogged with dirt to such an extent that they will not be properly presented to the ground under any ordinary conditions. This isa very important feature of my invention and particularly because ofthe sim-ple manner in which the result is accomplished.

It has also been found in the practical use of the invention that it entirely eliminates Yslippage,-at' least so Vfar as l'can be observed with the eye. This is also important because it isa fact, although it may appearY extraordinary, that' in a days plowing the loSS Q distance due to slippage will be considerable, in fact it may exceed ten per cent. This also involves a loss of fuel and time, besides the wear and tear on the machinery. Tractors equipped with this invention have been carefully watched on soft and on hard ground and on turf and no evidence of any material slippage has been observed. When it is understood that a tractor wheel with cleats or lugs will show slippage so plainly that critical examination is not necessary, and will shift the ground between cleats or spurs laterally in clods, the importance of my invention will be better appreciated.

I am aware that changes in the form and proportion and arrangement of parts of my invention may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages thereof and I therefore reserve the right to make all such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the following claims.

claim:

l. A traction shoe for attachment to the rim of a wheel and having transverse ground engaging bars at the ends thereof, said bars having recessed outwardly flared outer edges.

2. A traction shoe for attachment to the rim of a wheel and having transverse ground engaging bars at its ends, said bars inclining inwardly at the upper portion and inclining outwardly at the outer portion thereof.

3. A traction shoe for attachment to the rim of a wheel and having a substantially wedge-shaped transverse ground engaging bar intermediate of its ends and outwardly flared transverse ground engaging bars at its ends.

et. A traction shoe for attachment to the rim of a wheel and having a plurality of transverse ground engaging bars comprising an intermediate bar having outwardly inclined upper sides and substantially wedge-shapedl in cross section therebelow, and oppositely flared end bars.

5. A traction shoe for attachment to the rim of a wheel and having a plurality of transverse ground engaging bars, the upper portion of the end bars inclining toward each other and the lower portion of the end bars being outwardly flared, and the upper portion of the intermediate bar having oppositely inclined sides and the lower portion of said intermediate bar being substantially wedge-shaped in cross section.

6. A traction shoe for attachment to the rim of a wheel and having end and intermediate ground engaging cross-bars, the opposing faces of the outer portion of adjacent bars being recessed and oppositely directed.

7. A traction shoe for attachment to the rim of a wheel and having an opening in one side thereof to receive an attaching bolt and an integral hook on the other side thereof to engage the rim, said hook being of considerable width as compared with the bolt opening in the side of the shoe and bcing curved transversely on an arc of greater degree than that of said opening.

8. The combination with the rim of a wheel, of a traction shoe having an opening therein, ground engaging bars at the ends ofthe opening, and a tooth on the rim operating in said opening, the sides of the tooth and the upper portion of each bar being correspondingly inclined for coperative engagement, the lower portion of each bar being outwardly inclined.

9. The combination with the rim of a wheel, of a traction shoe having an opening therein, ground engaging bars in said opening, the sides of the tooth and the upper portion of each bar being inwardly inclined for coperative engagement, the lower portion of each bar being outwardly inclined. v

l0. The combination with the rim of a wheel, of a traction shoe having a pair of openings therein, ground engaging bars at the ends of and intermediate said openings, and a pair of teeth on the rim operating in said openings, the sides of said teeth and the upper portion of each bar being correspondingly inclined for cooperative engagement, the lower portion of the end bars being outwardly flared and the lower portion of the intermediate bar kbeing wedge shaped.

ll.. The combination with the rim of a wheel, of Va traction shoe having an opening therein, ground engaging bars at the` ends of the openings, the lower portion of said bars being outwardly flared, and a tooth on the rim operating in said opening and engaging the bars above their flared portion.

12. The combination with the rim of a wheel, of a traction shoe having a pair of openings therein, ground engaging bars at the ends of the openings, said bars being oppositely flared at their lower portions and inwardly inclined` at their upper portions, and teeth secured on the rim and operating in said openings and engaging said upper inclined portions.

LOUIS E. SLAUSON.

Witnesses:

J. K. BRANDENBURG, HENRY J. BESELIN. 

